Turret-type large aperture antenna precision mounted on circular track

ABSTRACT

An elevation over azimuth turret-type antenna provides roller and track supports for rotational movement of a turret on a pedestal about an Az-Az axis and provides spaced pivots and drive wheels for rotational movement of the antenna reflector on the turret about an El-El axis. The roller supports include radially directed rollers for constraining the movement of the turret support rollers coaxially with their circular track and further include holddown roller elements for preventing the turret from leaving the track due to the eccentric loading of the reflector on the turret. A tubular shaft disposed coaxially of the Az-Az axis is secured to the turret for rotation with it. The shaft extends upwardly through the several floors of the pedestal and through lower and upper rooms supported on the turret to which access is provided via an elevator mounted for operation within the shaft. An electronics room disposed between the spaced drive wheels increases the working area of the antenna, and bellows and jalousy ladder structures improve the access from the electronics room to functioning parts of the feed structure.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Robert Dale Hall La Mesa, Calif.

[21] Appl. No. 750,444

[22] Filed Aug. 5, 1968 [45] Patented Sept. 7, 1971 [73] Assignee Rohr Corporation Chula Vista, Calif.

[54] TURRET-TYPE LARGE APERTURE'ANTENNA PRECISION MOUNTED 0N CIRCULAR TRACK 8 Claims, 28 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 343/766, 343/912 1 1 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,141,168 7/1964 Ashton 343/765 3,153,789 10/1964 Ashton 343/765 3,375,523 3/1968 Laibs0n.. 343/766 3,407,404 10/1968 Cook etal. 343/765 Primary Examiner-Eli Lieberman Attorney-George E. Pearson ABSTRACT: An elevation over azimuth turret-type antenna provides roller and track supports for rotational movement of a turret on a pedestal about an Az-Az axis and provides spaced pivots and drive wheels for rotational movement of the antenna reflector on the turret about an ElEl axis. The roller supports include radially directed rollers for constraining the movement of the turret support rollers coaxially with their circular track and further include holddown roller elements for preventing the turret from leaving the track due to the eccentric loading of the reflector on the turret. A tubular shaft disposed coaxially of the Az-Az axis is secured to the turret for rotation with it. The shaft extends upwardly through the several floors of the pedestal and through lower and upper rooms supported on the turret to which access is provided via an elevator mounted for operation within the shaft. An electronics room disposed between the spaced drive wheels increases the working area of the antenna, and bellows and jalousy ladder structures improve the access from the electronics room to functioning parts of the feed structure.

PATENTEDSEP 1am 3,604,011

SHEET 010F 19 FIG. I.

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333 INVIENTOR.

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ATTORNEY FIG. 28.

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ROBERT D HALL ATTORNFY 

1. A turret-type elevation over azimuth antenna of the type having a reflector, a turret, a pedestal, track and roller means supporting the turret on the pedestal for rotation about a selected Az-Az axis, and pivot means on the turret supporting the reflector for rotation about an El-El axis, said track and roller means comprising a circular track fixedly mounted on the pedestal with the track axis substantially coincident with such selected Az-Az axis, a side surface of the track of true circular shape with its axis exactly coincident with such selected Az-Az axis, a plurality of at least tree support roller elements mounted in selected spaced relation on the lower portion of the turret and positioned to roll along the upper surface of said track to support the turret on the track for rotation about such Az-Az axis, a plurality of at least three radially directed guide roller elements mounted in selected spaced relation on the lower portion of the turret and positioned to roll along said true, circular side surface of the track, and means urging said guide roller elements radially toward said truly circular side surface of the track by an adjusted preload force with the turret exactly centered on such Az-Az axis for constraining the turret to rotative movement coaxially of such Az-Az axis.
 2. An antenna as defined in claim 1, said track and roller means further comprising a horizontal, downwardly facing, exposed, marginal track area, a plurality of holddown rollers mounted on the turret, and positioned beneath the exposed, downwardly facing marginal track area, and means powerfully biasing each holddown roller upwardly into preloaded rolling engagement with said undersidecc track area to prevent lifting of the turret support rollers from the track.
 3. An antenna as defined in claim 2 wherein each holddown-roller-biasing means comprises a hydraulic cylinder operatively connected to each holddown roller and to an accumulator system for maintaining a constant, powerful, preload force on each holddown roller.
 4. A turret-type elevation-over-azimuth antenna of the character disclosed comprising, in combination, a reflector, a turret, a pedestal, track and roller means for supporting the turret on the pedestal for rotation about an azimuth axis Az-Az, pivot means on the turret for supporting the reflector for rotation about an elevation axis El-El, said track and roller means comprising a circular track member secured on the pedestal and roller elements secured to the turret and engageable with the upper surface of said pedestal track member to provide said rotational support of the turret on the pedestal, said track and roller means also comprising radially directed roller elements engageable with a side surface of the track member to constrain the rotative movements of the turret to follow the track coaxially with said Az-Az axis, and further comprising azimuth drive means supported on the turret for driving the turret about said Az-Az axis, and elevation drive means supported on the turret for driving the reflector about the El-El axis, said reflector comprising a pair of spaced elevation wheels secured thereto for rotation therewith about the El-El axis, and having a drive element secured to at least one of said wheels for driving engagement with said elevation drive means.
 5. Antenna apparatus as in claim 4 and further comprising an electronics room structure mounted on the turret and disposed between said reflector elevation wheels.
 6. Antenna apparatus as in claim 4, said elevation drive means comprising a reducer having an output sprocket and a motor for driving said output sprocket through the reducer, and said elevation-wheel-driving element comprising a length of chain engageable with said output sprocket.
 7. Antenna apparatus as in claim 5 and further comprising a bellows extending from said electronics room to the feed area of the reflector to provide a covering therebetween notwithstanding the rotational position of the reflector about said El-El axis.
 8. Antenna apparatus as in claim 5 and further comprising a jalousy ladder providing access from the turret to the feed area of the reflector notwithstanding the rotational position of the reflector about said El-El axis. 